Alan and I support different political parties. (We don't disagree on most of the fundamentals, really, just on the best way to get there.) The last 8 - 10 days, he has hauled in at least a pound and a half of mail every day, all requests for money from my political party of choice, from candidates of my political party of choice, from action committees of my political party of choice, supporters of various initiatives dear to my political party of choice and any number of leaders within my political party of choice. I made a comment bewailing the excessive mailings, to which Alan replied, "It's because you give them money! It's like a drop of blood to a hungry shark. They're never going to stop as long as you send them money." His disgust was apparent.

"That should make you happy!" I answered. "The paltry little sum I send them every six months or so can't possibly even put a dent in what they're spending on paper, ink and postage to me alone! So the result is that I'm not so much supporting them as I am bringing them down from the inside!"

"I love you, honey."

Alan wanted me to add that they also call here about 10 times a day, bugging him because he works from home, then refuse to talk to him, only wanting to speak to me. He told one of the more recent ones, "Even if I was going to vote for your candidate, I'm not now because you people won't LEAVE ME THE HELL ALONE!"